Dear Mushroom,
I’ve enjoyed writing these annual letters and looking back on each year at how much you’ve grown and how far you’ve come. Every year you grow into so much more of yourself and it’s lovely to watch and record.
This year feels a bit different. You have now been at the same nursery for three years and in September, you’ll be starting school. That feels massive for me! We just found out this week which school you’ll be going to, and that your close friend who lives just around the corner will be going there too. You’re happy about this, I think but some days you can’t wait to start school – “I’ll have a uniform Mummy!” (you love the idea of a uniform, I think to you it says ‘I’m a BIG boy!’ – but others you can even get a bit tearful, saying things like “I never ever want to go to school! I just want to go to nursery and stay with Mummy!” I suppose it’s a little like that for me too. I want you to go to school, to learn new things, make new friends and enjoy this new adventure… and yet, at the same time I’ll miss our Thursdays and Fridays together, that special me and you time we’ve managed to preserve, before you head into your school years. We’ll both be ok though, we have a few months to ease ourselves into the idea!
Mushroom’s favourite exhibition piece!
*click for source.
Although four is a big birthday, we didn’t have a full on party this year but you did have your share of treats! We marked the occasion by visiting the Art of the Brick exhibition a few days before your birthday, to foster your enthusiasm for Lego bricks before giving you loads of Lego for your birthday, with which you love creating things, having only had mega blocks and duplo up until now. On the day itself, we headed out with your friend Strawberry* for your new favourite activity (since New Year), bowling! You were very proud to be able to show Strawberry (who had never been bowling before) how it’s done… As well as some of your best breakdancing moves.
Mushroom’s favourite gifts
Breakdancing lesson
Freestylin’
Over the weekend you spent a day with Auntie L, with whom you made this beautiful mug for me, and plate for Mr B, at Creative Biscuit.
Perfectly imperfect
When you presented me with the mug, you were quick to tell me that “It’s not supposed to have this bump here” and that “It was supposed to be more orange there” but I was just impressed that you had put so much thought into it – you painted it green because that’s my favourite colour, with an orange handle because “you like it a lot and it makes you feel happy but it’s not your favourite.” All these little details you remembered and considered. It’s one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received and the imperfections make it even more perfect in my eyes.
So, what’s new? Well, your main interests haven’t really changed; you still love all forms of transport (planes, trains, cars, your scooter and the bike we still haven’t got round to buying for you!) anything creative (cooking, drawing, painting and sticking) and cleaning (which is actually quite helpful now – you even wash your own dishes better than I do!). You still love singing and dancing and your sense of humour is developing along with your use of language.
I don’t have as many funny little sayings as I did last year as your vocabulary has expanded so much (although a few of these ‘Mushroom-isms‘ still apply!) but I love the way you think about things and you often offer me wise advice, telling me when I’m stressed that I should ‘just be like a baby and play all day’ because, you’ve noticed, babies don’t get stressed. There’s a whole other blog post in that! On that note, you’re still as sensitive and empathetic as you’ve always been, although you have your moments and like to push the boundaries every now and then… You’re very grumpy and emotional when tired (can’t think where you get that from!) but generally your nature is pretty laid-back and loving.
This year the changes have been more subtle – your favourite TV prgrammes have progressed from Peppa Pig to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (and you like the old Hero Turtles series we found on YouTube, which reminds me of your Uncle L at your age!) and you fight bedtime a little less now that you’re starting to drop your nap but essentially you’re still the same… Just a little more… You.
I’m sure school will be a great adventure for you and I’m looking forward to seeing you grow even more as you (and me!) negotiate the new challenges this will bring.
I think this year can probably be summed up with one particular conversation we keep having, where I call you ‘baby’ and you shout “I’m NOT a baby!” but then won’t go to bed without me there to hold your hand because “I’m only little.” You’re so desperate to grow up but when it comes down to it, in many ways you’re still a baby. And you know what? You’ll always be my baby.
Love you to the moon and back,
Mummy x
Spring is finally here!
